A.I. Art: A Coalition of Opinions

Illustrations by Farrah Siu // farrahweirdo.com

As technology advances, the debate centered around man vs machine constantly revives itself seeing that people fear the replacement of humans by their robotic counterparts. Artistic industries are no strangers to this; with things like digital art, CGI, and more, causing controversy in their day. In recent years, the new threat to the future of art as a whole has proven to be none other than Artificial Intelligence.

We at RenderQ have taken the time to gather opinions on AI art from a variety of young adults via discussion and google forms. Many of these people are studying some form of art, from digital to traditional and beyond, while others are involved, passionate, and/or knowledgeable about art outside of their studies/ careers. Some of their responses opened my eyes to things I have not even considered. This article will share some of their opinions on the technology, as well as my own.

Although opinions on AI art from participants differ, all of them are unanimous in concluding that:

AI art is intriguing as a technological advancement, but it brings about a variety of moral concerns.

The differences lie in the specific concerns it brings. Some of the main arguments against it are regarding how it is made, the impacts it will have on consumerism, the lack of human touch, and overall ethical concerns for the livelihood of the artists it could be replacing.

Data

To begin, one of the most popular reasons for AI arts opposition is the very foundation of it. AI learns from observing humans, and in the case of AI art, it learns by taking data from collections of human-made images and compiling them into a new creation. This concept is not the danger in itself, but it is the fact that many AI programs are surfing the web for references without crediting the artists of the images it is ripping data from.

Many young artists fear this, since they did not consent to their art being used for AI, yet have little choice in the manner asides from not posting art online (and with how much of the artistic industry is based online, this would be detrimental to many careers).

The commonly decided solution to this issue would be for AI art to compile references from databases gathered by consenting artists, or from the creator itself. This would ensure nobody’s artwork is taken without permission. However, if there are no regulations created to enforce this moral necessity, then people are likely not going to spend the time and money to do so.

Demand

This topic is one that I had not even considered before hearing the opinions of artists around me, but thinking of it now, it is undeniably true: AI art is simply feeding into modern consumerism culture. Overconsumption is seen prevalent in first world countries, especially the United States. Ranges of products, from clothes to accessories and even films, are being mass produced with little regard to the creators wellbeing. AI art could mark the start of this trend in the artistic world.

Artists are already held at high expectations to be pumping out work, but imagine competing with a machine that could create a similarly satisfying product in only seconds.

Human Touch

Many people argue for AI, stating that humans have been ripping each other off for centuries. When an artist creates a new painting, do they credit their fourth grade art teacher for showing them how to hold a pencil the right way, or the youtube tutorial they watched 3 years ago on shading? Humans themselves are just compilations of data, so why is it bad when a computer does it?

I agree with the point that it is normal for art to simply be reconstructions of art before it, but must bring to attention the odd aspect of this situation: AI art is a computer. When a human references their past knowledge, they bring their own individual experiences, perspectives, and beliefs into the mix. Computers can not do that. By popularizing AI, it threatens the authenticity of art.

Ethics

The biggest concern, however, is the overall ethical debate of AI art. Not only is AI art controversial because of potential copyright, over-consumption, and lack of human input, it is at the same time threatening artists’ livelihoods. Imagine being replaced by a machine that not only works ten times faster, but does so by stealing your work without crediting you, and lacks the critical thinking and heart that you put into your craft. 

If consumers and creators alike do not acknowledge the fallbacks of AI, and the fact that they could potentially be disregarding the value and lives of artists all over, the art world may fall into an unhealthy reliance on these robots.

In my personal opinion, I do not despise AI art. Perhaps it comes from working in a medium such as VFX, which is already heavily computer automated and reliant. However, I can not confidently say that I love AI art until the above concerns are acknowledged and addressed. Technological advancements are necessary for every industry, but they just need to be treated with caution.

Many artists like myself realize that, if regulations are made protecting artists from copyright, AI art can potentially be a huge tool in various industries for things like quick concept development and visualization. Yet that is just the thing: AI is just a tool. It should not be a replacement for artists, but simply another means for artists to convey the messages inside of them that they wish to visualize to the world. It is just a matter of making sure everyone –  consumers and creators – realize this, which can prove to be a challenge in a world where art is so deeply intertwined with capitalistic demand.

Many thanks to those who shared their opinion on A.I. art for this article. Each reply truly brought to light the impact that A.I art will have on various industries, from Illustration, Performing Arts, Film, and more, and how many different people have similar worries about its presence in the art world.